Steam-regenerator.



No. 884,610. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908. A. G. B. RATBAU.

$TEAM REGENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 31,1904.

MAUI/NE accumulators, and has for its object the pro to a proper condition and pressure to render- I do not wish to be limited to the use to which such regenerated steam is put.'

' remainedquiescent. The agency that I pre- AUGUSTE CAMILLE EDMOND RA TEAU, F PARIS, FRANCE.

STEAM-RE GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908. I

Application filed December 31,1904. Serial No. 289,165;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTE CAMILLE EDMOND. RATEAU, citizen of France, residing at Paris, France, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steam-Regenerators, (patented in France. May 25, 1904, N 0. 340,844,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact'description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification.

My invention relates to steam regenerative vision of an improved apparatus whereby exhaust steam from'engines may be brought such exhaust steam adaptable for further use, particularly for power purposes, though In practicing my invention, I em )loy a vessel in which there is disposeda liquid, preferably water, which vessel is provided with an overflow pipe or passage that main,- tains' the said liquid at or below a given level, the. said vessel'being also provided with an entrance for the exhaust steam, an exit for the regenerated steam, and a valve acting as a back pressure controlling valve, whereby the steam is prevented from exceeding a predetermined pressure, so that it will not-raise the pressure inopposition to the incoming exhaust steam, whichrin such case, obviously will produce an unsatisfactory operationof the engines from which the exhaust steam is su iied.

e opening through which the steam is received into the vessel is desirably, though not necessarily, located entirely above the limitin level fixed for the liquid, as is also the bac ressure regulating valve. The exit 0 ening or the regenerated steam is located a ove the limiting levelof the liquid in order that the water will not escape therewith. With a vessel thus equipped and constructed, there is also provided an agency other than the exhaust steam, as said exhaust steam acts upon the water, for effecting a violent agitation of the water or other liquid, whereby a greater surface of li uid is ex osed to the steam than would be a orded if-t 1e water for to employ for effecting the agitation of the water is a mechanically moving element,

such as a pump that circulates the water.

The object of providing a body of liquid l in the vessel is set forth in my United States Patent No. 761,606, patented May 31, 1904. Obviously such a body acts as a heat accumulator to receive heat when the incoming exhaust steam is above a predetermined temperature and to give off heat when the steam.

( by means other than the exhaust steam acting directly upon the water, whereby the rate of agitation may be determined and the rate at which the heat is received by the water and is discharged thereform maybe regulated. 'lhis independently acting agency is preferably a motor driven element,-,such as a pump, preferably of the centrifugal class, the motor being operated by any suitable agency, even the exhaust steam itself, after it has been regenerated, the steam, when re generated, being then capable of acting inde: pendently upon the liquid agitating mechanism of the steam to be regenerated. An

suitable source'of power other than the I steam to be regenerated, may be employed to operate the motor that actuates the liquid agitating mechanism. By means of the pump or other mechanically operating agency, a portion of the water may be elevated and allowedto return to the balance of the-water in subdivided streams, these re- 9 turning streams passing through the steam in the vessel, whereby the surface of the Water to which the steam is subject is greatly enlarged, thereby very readily permitting the water to receive heat from the steam if such heat of the steam is above a given limit or whereby heat may be imparted from the water to the steam if the steam is below the given limit, whereby the heat of the steam in the vessel may be kept at a uniform temperature or temperature confined between predetermined limits.

Another feature of my resent invention that may be practiced wit either the above described method or the method of my aforesteam a mitted through a pipe said patent resides in preliminarily heating the water or other liquid by an agency hitherto unemployed, it being necessary prelimin'arily to heat the water, especially when reference 'to the accompanying drawing,

showing a vessel equipped as above described, the vessel being indicatedrrin vertical section, as are also most of the parts associated therewith.

The vessel 1 isadaptedto contain a body 2 of liquid, preferably water, which is preliminaril heated,'prelerably by means of .3 communicating with the interior of t e vessel through the bottom thereof, there being employed a cut-oil valve 4 for-regulating the application of the heating steam. The means that I preferably employ for ell'ecting the agitation of the water comprises a conveying tube 5 projecting into the body of water and extending above the same, this tube being provided with a dish-shaped top (5 whose bottom is perforated, so that the water forced up to the dish from the main body by the centrifu al pump 7 may ilow through the bottom 0 the dish in many streams 8, said'bottom constituting a li uid subdivider thereby greatly enlarging the surface of the water to which the exhaust steam entering through the piping 9 is subject, the water being caused to circulate as indicated by the lower arrows. Any suitable agency may be employed for operating the pump 7, there being indicated an electric motor 10 that rotates the shaft 11 carrying the blades of the pump. The steam that is regenerated is passed through the discharge opening or exit 12 which is located above the level of the body of water at or below which said water is maintained. As the water is likely to have its volume increased when the temperature is less than the temperature of the steam, causing a partial condensation of the steam, the level of the water is likely to climb, and I, therefore, provide one of many instrumen talities that may be employed for removing this excess of water. The instrumentality shown includes a chamber 13 supplied with water by a branch pipe 14 and having a discharge opening 15. There is provided in this chamber a lloat 16 whose arm carries a lever 17 that closes the opening 15 when the level of the water is at or below a predetermined point, but which valve frees said opening when the said level is above said point, to permit a discharge of water through said opening. There is also provided a steam pipe pass 18 to equalize the pressure upon the body of water within the chamber 13. I do not wish to be limited to any particular type of means for removing the excess of water from the vessel. In order that the regenerated steam n'iay be supplied through the opening 12 at or below a predetermined pressure and in order that the steam pressure may not rise through the piping 9, there is employed a back pressure controlling valve 19 that operates to release the steam when ressure is excessive.

While I prefer the pipe 5 with its dishshaped top 6, I do not wish to be limited to any particular structure for guiding the water in the paths it is to follow.

It will be seen that I have provided within the vessel a water or liquid fall by which the accessibility of the steam to the water is in creased.

My invention finds great service where the exhaust steam is received in a fluctuating 'fiow into the vessel, as, for example, where it is supplied from engines that are not regular in their operation.

It will be apparent that by means of my present invention the piping that directs steam to be regenerated into the liquid may be so located as to direct said steam into a portion of the vessel above the main body of liquid, for, in accordance with my present in vention, the steam to be regenerated is not employed to effect circulation of the liquid.

An advantage that may be gained by-the presentarrangement over the apparatus of my prior patent No. 761,906, dated May 31, 1904, resides in the fact that the steam to be regenerated is relieved of the work of agitating the liquid, on which account the back pressure which is required when this work is imposed upon the steam to be regenerated is eliminated. Further back pressure may be eliminated when the steam to be regenerated is admitted above the main body of liquid.

.l have claimed the method herein disclosed. l a

While 1 have shown the entrance 0 ening for the exhaust steam near the'top of t 1e vessel, so that the exhaust steam will be admitted abovethe level of the liquid, I do not' wish to be limited to such an arrangement.

The art of regenerative accumulators is distine-t from the art of feed water heaters and condensers, each of the latter two devices including a tank or vessel and an'ever changing supply of liquid which receives heat from the vapors and carries the same from the tank or v vessel, whereas, on the other hand, regenerative aemnnulators, to which this invention relates, each include a tank or vessel and a bodyof liquid which is substantially constantly within the vessel, so that the heat imparted to it is retained within the ves' sel, whereby the proper function of the regenerative accumulator may be performed.

I liquid should preferably .be water; In the In steam regenerative accumulators, this set forth essential characteristics of the regenerative accrmulator to which this invention relates, as such are well understood in the. art.

It is obvious that changes may readily,be made in the apparatus that I have herein illustrated without de arting from the s irit of the invention, and I do not, there ore, wish to be limited to the precise construction shown, but

Patent 1. A steamregenerative accumulator in which liquidis employed as a heat retainer, in combination with pumping mechanism for effecting circulation of the liquid, and a which liquid is employed as a heat retainer, in

combination with mechanism for agitating sa d liquld, and a motor for o crating said mechanism and itself operated rom a source of power other than the steam to be regenerated.

3. A steam regenerative accumulator in which liquid is employed as a heat retainer,

in combination with' mechanism for circulating'said liquid, and a motor for o crating said mechanism and itself operate from a source .of power other than the steam to be regenerated.

4. A steam regenerative accumulator in which liquid is employed as a heat retainer, in combination with pumping mechanism for effecting circulation of the liquid, and a motor for operating said mechanism.

'5, A steam regenerative accumulatorin in combination with mechanism for agitatim said liquid, and a'motorfor operating saiil mechanism.

6. A steam regenerative accumulator in which liquid is'employed as a heat retainer,

in combination with mechanism for circu'lat ing said liquid, and a motor; for operating said mechanism.

. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribed my name this twenty-seventh day of October A. D,, 1904.

AUGUSTE UAMILLE EDMOND RATEAU. Witnesses:

' PAUL JQSEPH ALEXrs CHALEIL,

ARCl-1IBALD 'R. BAKER.

\ which liquid is employed as a heat retainer, Having hus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- 

